Voila: Pusan Wrap Dress by Couture Nomad

Hello! Today I have another Couture Nomad dress, sewn up over several weeks at my lovely Teacher Catherine's Couture Nomad Sewing School here in Shanghai!

This is called the Pusan dress, and part of Catherine's Urban Jungle collection. She uses a business shirt style fabric for her version, and when I saw how easily she pops on her pushbike with it, I thought I've got to sew it up for Spring... well spring kind of came and went here in Shanghai, there were some nice warmer days, but it's RAINED so much. At least once a week, and today... it actually was quite cold. Humid AND cold. Not fun!

So I started this to wear in Spring, and only just wore it yesterday on a lovely humid & sunny day... AND in our NEW HOUSE! I have so much to tell you about... I definitely need a pause button for our life right now!

Pusan Dress was Couture Nomad's Pattern of the Month a few months back, and is a light and loose wrap dress with optional collar and different ways to tie/clasp. Catherine has a lovely light mustard one that I've seen her wear, and I wanted something green for me... and this polka-dotted light linen cotton was the first thing I spotted across the road from the Renmin Lu Haberdashery Spot... but a funny thing, half the store was a fabric shop along the left wall.... and the other side of the shop was a camouflage sport gear shop... Strange Combo, but CHINA! And so I asked how much the fabric was on the roll, and the shopkeeper didn't know... she was the camouflage shopkeeper! Not the fabric shopkeeper. So I waited a while, no one came back... more waiting... I thought I'd go buy some stationary (Yu Garden Markets have SO many things you can buy for cheaps!) and then come back to get the green fabric.

So probably half an hour later, after buying my pens and envelopes, I came back ... and NO shopkeeper! Ridiculous! I waited another 15 minutes... and in the end haggled with the Camo Shopkeeper to sell me the fabric for 38RMB a metre (it's usually that at the other market for this kind of think...) and she was sooooo reluctant selling her fellow shopkeepers wares... but I couldn't stick around, I had sewing class and a three year old to pick up from kindergarten!

So funny, and so China!

As for the pattern, it was a great trace, cut & sew over 3-4 sewing nights... love the shape with this light fabric. I did felled seams for the back yoke, and they came up quite nicely... I had a wrong machine bobbin problem on one side of the dress (also felled sleeves) so there's some wobbly stitching, but it's under my arm... so who will know! It's a well covered wrap dress too, in that it doesn't gape and reveal my undergarments. And the coverage around the legs is also great!

I shortened the sleeves a bit, and then made the bands half the width, for I decided I would fold them up anyways... and last minute decided not to do a button/snap close and then attached the ties. It's the same material as my Bettine Dress from last year, actually... so having the ties reminds me of that. I loved wearing it yesterday!

It's a great wrap dress pattern, and very quick to make! For all up my sewing hours wasn't too long, but just spread out between all the other things going on! I'll share another update soon on the busy-times here... but at least you get to see my lovely balcony, on the 5th floor of a normal building, no elevator, but in a Chinese compound. So we're stretching all our conversations, and practicing Chinese all the time now! In our old house, lots of people spoke English... but not here! We're still around downtown/Former French Concession, but more in the thick of it... brilliant green Plane Trees are all along the street and heaps of local places to check out. And walking distance to kindergarten!

Thank you to Teacher Catherine for sharing her pattern & her skills with me! If you're interested in sewing in Shanghai, I highly recommend getting in touch! Send me an email and I'll connect you with Cathy! If you're in Singapore, or other parts of the world... do go and visit Couture Nomad for there's lots of e-learning spots but also there might be a Nomadette teacher in your hometown!

Speak soon, and hope you're well wherever you are in the world!

Voila: Couture Nomad Taipei Skirt

Hey! It's my David Lynch print & I in matching blue!

So happy to show you this skirt I started & finished at Sewing School this last month! Yes, my sewing classes with Couture Nomad Shanghai have started again for the year and I’m again surprised at how talking ideas over with my teacher and her hands on approach helps me so much… the work I do there has been SO neat, and I feel like punching the air at the end of every step.

At home however, I whizz through and muck up the hem a little (luckily just the lining) as I wrapped the whole thing up… but well-rounded is a good way to consider my sewing approach… fast & slow, neat & messy… I balance myself out.

So, the pattern is part of the Couture Nomad sewing school collection, called Taipei and shows you a simple A shape, with a wide waistband and pockets. I traced it in a size M, using my lower waist just above the hips instead of that high waist part… I do like highwaist on my hourglass, but this would hang a little lower for shirts to be tucked in… but in the month after I finished it, I have lost a bit of weight so it hangs very low on my hips and with slinky tights might just slip off!

Next time, I’ll make a S, and because this is on the fold, it’ll be easy to change the traced pattern pieces … slice off 1 cm on the fold and change the pleat/darts.

My FAVOURITE part this time was the cutting… I REALLY wanted to match up the wallpaper pieces (I don’t know what this pattern is called, I just call it wallpaper pattern… anyone know?) on this fabric. It’s a second hand/thrifted cotton from my Mother in Law (there’s several of great op shops in her part of West End Brisbane, if you know the area!) and she sent it to me recently. It’s a bit light for autumn, so Teacher Catherine suggested I line it, and that’s just some cheap cotton I had from the fabric market here in Shanghai.

So for the yoke, skirt pieces and pockets… I just HAD to pattern match and it was so easy to do using the tracing paper … when I settled on the skirt pieces on the fabric… I overlapped the yoke pieces by 1cm each side (the Couture Nomad seam allowance) and traced the wallpaper pattern on the tracing paper… then found the same piece on the fold further along the fabric. As I traced & cut at Sewing School for this one, the bench was lovely and long and at standing height… if this was at home, I’d have hunched over the floor and wouldn’t have the space to see it all properly… I love having a good work bench for cutting!

I did the same with the pocket pieces… lined up the sides, the seam allowances and traced the fabric pattern… I’m sure it’s not that surprising to some of you legends of sewing, but I usually just do it by eye, and sometimes stuff up the underside piece. What was interested with this fabric though, the middle of the fabric (with selvages together, wasn’t the middle of the pattern… I had to find the lovely little flower/wallpaper bit that looked like a central piece and fold along that. Thankfully all on grain.

And YAY, it’s all perfectly matched. I could *cry* with happiness!

A bit sad it doesn’t fit but it’s a lovely shape, and something different for me, so I’ll make it again sometime. The back is lovely too through the middle… and I also am VERY happy with my seam matching at the yoke around the zipper area… it’s invisible and took a little time, pinning and hand basting REALLY close to the teeth. I’ve got some work in progress photos that I’ll post in my Sewing School update soon too… so proud of this one!

It’s raining a lot this week, but if I was a woman of the world, and went to the office or something other than running errands, on my pushbike often with a 3 year old on back… I would style it like this… but with tights!

Next up at Sewing School will be a top, but (always contrary) I might make it a dress because it could look cute as a dress, and I really want to try different textured sleeves. Off to the fabric market this week to have a look for actual WOVEN fabric for a top … I’m never that keen on woven tops, so why not make one!? I love trying new things at the moment. My fit & flare dress isn’t finished yet and as it’s too bright and light, I don’t think my usual favourite shape IS my favourite shape right now… so weird… I still think the season & the city are playing with my moods with what to wear & sew. Maybe it’ll settle down soon!? I feel a little crazy!

Have a lovely week, and thanks for reading as always darling!

Voila: The Urban Jungle Manado Dress

Happy Friday! Hooray! I was due to publish this yesterday, but the internet in China is unpredictable so SOMETIMES you have to throw your computer out the window and talk to your family! I KNOW. I'm also testing out flickr photo embed-ing so let me know if anything is off with the photos on your browser... I'm doing half blogger upload and half flickr today. OK, tech talk over and now it's my Neon Fern dress (I was close to calling this post 'Between Two Neon Ferns' because that show doesn't get old. Or does it? I actually haven't watched for a while!).

Last month I told you about the sewing school I go to, Couture Nomad, sharing their Manado Dress pattern for free for a little competition... and here's my take on the Urban Jungle (Catherine's newest pattern collection) theme. This pattern was part of my first atelier/workshop program with the school, so I paid for it, and I made it for sewing school, with reasonable success. But I am working here today with knits instead of woven fabric, which is what it usually calls for... but let's see how it went...

The fabric is from my very small stash, and was from the knit guy in Dongmen Lu (market details below, with Chinese characters for you to show the taxi driver). I bought this at the same time I got my knit that I ended up using for the Davie Dress, and didn’t really have any plans for it. I’m trying to buy fabric as I see it, within reason - the fabric market is huge - so that I can try different projects and colours and styles… so this neon green fern print was something I wouldn’t ordinarily buy and kinda took a punt that it’d work for something for summer.

It's VERY summery!

 It's also very swishy and cool... which I'd hoped be great in the Manado Dress style... but I had also been wanting to try more of a swing dress shape, which was easy to do with the pattern... you can cut the back on the fold, but I think the pattern says to cut two pieces... so what I did with both pattern pieces was put on the fold of the fabric, and then pivot the pattern piece out from the middle neckline point to add more fabric (the on the fold bit) to the middle of the dress... I think I did about 2 inches at the hemline.. maybe 3... and so I have MORE fabric with a bit of swing to it, but really, it's such a heavy but thin knit fabric that I don't think it suits the style. But it was a VERY quick project to sew... I made it up one night and hemmed the next day during the last week of Me-Made-May as I got really over my clothes and the samey colours ... so as Mum and Dad were still staying with us, I think it only took about 2 hours all up.

I followed my initial measurements for the other Manado Dress I made, but then lowered the neckline and added a bit of width as it was a bit tight across my bust... but I forgot this is KNIT fabric and then once it was made up (hemmed and all) I cut out about two inches all up to the side seams but just overlocking & cutting over the top of the old hem. Luckily I'd finished the armholes with the bias open down there so it was easy to change. What I also did differently to the pattern (which usually has facings that match the neckline) was ditch them for the binding way... which is neat but still doesn't sit super flat... I will have to make more to PRACTICE ... I think I folded the bias wrong sides together, overlocked quite thinly and then topstitched it flat...

The hem was also something unusual for me... I tried this method: 'An Easy Way to Hem Knits' ... because again the fabric is a weird heavy but thin and annoying to sew on the straight stitch... so this method creates your own binding, and then you topsitch and at first it was 'frilly' looking but after an iron it was nice and heavy... and still swishy... which is best for RIDING BICYCLES if you have a little weight...

I'm not totally sure on the fit for me... I kept the hem long to see what it looks like... and it kinda looks like a tent of fabric... with the belt (I'll have to get a black thin one) it looks nicer which makes me think I could shirr some elastic around... what do you think? A keeper? It FEELS very cool and because Shanghai will get very warm soon... with lovely humidity, I think it'll work... but maybe I should lop the hem?

OK, have a lovely weekend and hope you liked seeing something so BRIGHT (for you lovely Melbournians/Australian readers in wintertime xoxoxo thinking of you often as you can never forget a Melbourne chilly day!)

Fabric from the knit guy on level 2:

Shi Liu Pu Cloth Market:

168 Dongmen Lu, near Zhongshan Dong Er Lu 东门路168号， 近中山东二路

ATTN: A Free Pattern & Sewing Challenge!

*Stare Out The Window*

*Stare Out the Window Some More and Put Your Hand Just So*

*Hands On Hip and Look Down at Dress*

*Turn and Put Hands On Shoulders While Staring Down At Dress You Made With Your Own Hands*

Hey guys, guess what? I don't think I've used captions on photos in my blog before... have you read that Twitterer (have no idea which one, and no time to find it) that started copying the Daily Mail or some UK paper's photo captions...? It's quite funny from memory, as copywriters obviously get very drained writing captions for the newspaper and they were just SO literal... just writing what was happening in the photo. Anyways!

I've got some 'free' news... and I like 'free stuff' and I'm sure you do if you're thrifty like myself!

My Sewing School is called Couture Nomad... and it's a very small wonderful & welcoming sewing group here in Shanghai AND Teacher Catherine has been working on some new patterns! To celebrate, Couture Nomad is hosting their first sewing challenge where you can win all the patterns in the Urban Jungle Collection (a very aptly named collection, especially for the places the patterns are named after... most areas in Asia) ... and details below:

I just realised the sign up day is TOMORROW, but if you're reading this on the weekend, please email them and tell Amaia that you came via my blog... she might help you out! Or pop over to the Facebook page and ask if it's still ok to register...

But the free part: if you sign up, you'll be sent the Manado dress pattern for free... and that's the dress I'm wearing in the photos here... and my Voila - Finished blog post is here... and I found it a good straightforward pattern (even for a beginner perhaps) and a lovely light dress... I'll be making another Manado Dress for the Urban Jungle theme, just have to decide what jungle print I wanna cut up... my idea of the jungle print is not animal print but massive palm trees in neon... or a crispy white fern like pattern... still deciding.

As I'm a frank & open blogger, just a note to let you know I am a paid student of the Couture Nomad workshops, and while Catherine & Amaia told me about their sewing challenge... I want to share with you some independent pattern designs that aren't often seen in the wider (UK/US) sewing blog community... and the Couture Nomad has a variety of patterns to sew up! Teacher Catherine's saying is 'Do it yourself, to be yourself' and that's just so spot on. This week, I read Gillian's blogpost about What Makes Patterns Popular and felt a bit compelled to go find the well designed under-promoted pattern companies... but hat's another story!

So, happy sewing! After writing this post, I am now thinking how I can make a knit Manado Dress with more of a swing skirt to it?

Talk soon xoxo

Voila: The Manado Dress by Couture Nomad

Since I’ve started my Sewing School with the Couture Nomad group in Shanghai, I’ve been sewing almost everyday and making at least 1 creation a week… a dress, a t shirt, a bow tie (yes really) and getting back into the swing of blogging & reading blogs big time. AMAZING as always. 

It’s so fun and I’m feeling really body positive most of the time, and loving slowly growing my wardrobe with handmade things! But one of the BEST things about going to Sewing School and hanging with a small group of sewing enthusiasts is the GOSS and if you know me IRL, I LOVE talking because I just love stories! I’ve learnt so many things about Shanghai and where to buy fabrics… and because of my new French & Spanish speaking sewing friends, I’m getting a different perpspective on sewing and fashion, and culture and language. Just love it.

AND, who in a million years would think I’d sew something that wasn’t a fitted bodice dress and/or leggings and actually think it wasn’t half bad. At first glance the Manado Dress looked ok, certainly lovely for the tall, shapely shouldered woman, but not for me… but I had some cheapie fabric to use and it was about time I try some techniques on me… AND it was actually the next step in my Sewing School... they call them ateliars!

The pattern is either front piece and two back pieces but I opted for the front & back piece all as one piece, which meant I had to do the facing differently. It’s high-ish necked, with thin shoulders, and it’s very nicely shaped… however my problem lay completely with the fabric & interfacing choice… which I’ll get to.

It was a very simple pattern to follow, I adjusted down a half size from the Medium, but after fitting, I think I’ll cut a M next time and just adjust the waist/hips in the future… for this dress turned out ok, but a little snug on the bewbs. I traced the whole thing, onto the loveliest paper that Teacher Catherine had (I’ll have to buy my own roll soon!) and felt very swish using the rulers and being NEAT. I made the facings to include the neck hole and armholes and they scooped nicely around … or so I thought.

Cutting the cotton was just ok, it moved a little as I was using the dining table, to try and be profesh (instead of the floor) but it shifted as I adjusted the fabric & pieces and the facings were out a little then… and my DAGGY choice of interfacing wasn’t stable enough… it ironed ok initially and stuck to the fabric, but my iron also loved it toooooooo much and it got a little burnt… eep. 

This will forever be my lesson here in China, I reckon… not having a clue about the materials (either online or in the store) until I test it all out… the interfacing glued better than previous thicker stuff I bought but it’s not for clothing I reckon… Teacher Muriel thinks maybe embroidery or something. It’s just so hard to know … face to face at the market, I can’t ask because my Chinese isn’t up to it… and then online my translator through Chrome just doesn’t give enough detail. And you know when you buy online from eBay or whatever, we use Taobao here in Shanghai (everyone does in China) and the embedded pictures have all the details of the product? Like jpgs of explanations? Well Chrome can’t translate the text in the pictures, right? So I might just slow down my local online purchasing until I get a little more acquainted… and find the good stuff! Teacher Muriel suggested I try the big Haberdashery on Renmin Lu, and told me a stall to find better interfacing material then. 

The fabric feels shiny cotton, and may be polyester blend… it was 18 RMB a metre, which is $3.75 Australian // $US 2.9 // And almost 2 pounds UK. So cheap, and while it’s pretty… it also looks pretty cheap! Oh well, sewing school is all about learning stuff...

Have a  look at the insides, not so gorgeous at all....

SO after I attached the facings to the neckline, you sew the side seams, and then you turn the facings through the armholes, and sew right sides together all the way up on the front and back piece… until you can’t sew without bunching… then you flip inside and topstitch the lot… and because of my shitty interfacing and my shitty cut of the facings, it was bunchy and didn’t match… at that point I gave up sewing, and waited until I could talk it through with Teacher Muriel… that’s what’s also so great with the Sewing School… I can show and point and winged and cringe face to face… rather than bin the whole thing. So, I changed the shoulder seams, making them shorter and they kinda fitted… but still, not super polished or flat but #learningshit is like that, right? I’ll cut better shaped facings next time and be better-er with the choosing of interfacing and ironing it and sewing it. YEP?!

AND, lastly the Manado Dress comes with a belt... I once had an addiction to making belts when I first started sewing all the time! Because the dress isn't fitted, I thought I'd deffo wear the belt so went ahead to make it... The red fabric is a refashioned pillowcase I bought from a shop front near my Chinese Class (for less than 20 cents … 5RMB), because I couldn’t be bothered riding over to the fabric shop … lucky the red matched! 

But can you see... I'm thinking, why did I make this freaking belt. I don't think it's my style right now. 

Still, it’s a nice frock, and because it's so light it will probably be good for the hot days that are coming here in Shanghai. I was really excited at the thought of summer, but now people are telling me it's so hot you can't do anything... so I'm really worried I'm not prepared. EEP

Couture Nomad have their own drafted patterns for the sewing school, and if you’re an indie pattern junkie looking for different shapes & different styles that aren’t in the blog world so much, they’re available on the pdf to buy as well… but yes a few are in French! 

Talk soon!